Vernon Kay holds back tears as he shares emotional tribute to wife Tess Daly ahead of her final ever show on Strictly after 21 years

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Vernon Kay was visibly moved as he spoke lovingly about his wife, Tess Daly, before her last ever appearance on Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.

After over 21 years on the show, the 56-year-old presenter will be leaving Strictly Come Dancing this Saturday, alongside her co-host, Claudia Winkleman.

Tess, age 56, has been on the show since it began in 2004, originally co-hosting with the late Bruce Forsyth.

Sir Bruce, who passed away in 2017, worked with her until he retired in 2013, and then Claudia continued in his role.

As someone who’s followed Tess’s journey on the show for years, I have to say it’s been incredible to watch her grow. Honestly, knowing it’s coming to an end, I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back the tears when I’m watching from the audience – it’s going to be a really emotional moment!

On his BBC Radio 2 program, he shared that Saturday will be Tess’s final appearance on Strictly, and admitted he doesn’t want to say much more because it’s a very emotional moment. He celebrated her incredible 21 years with the show.

She’s hosted that show with Bruce and Claudia for years, and it’s always been a blast. It’s been a national favorite since it began, and we’ve even watched our children grow up with it.

Phoebe was pregnant during the first season of the show, and now she’s 21 years old. She’ll be watching from the audience at the final performance.

Strictly Come Dancing isn’t just about the hosts – Tess and Claudia, or even Tess and Bruce before them. It’s the entire team that makes the show so wonderful to work on. I’ve mostly been watching from the sidelines, but that’s my impression.

Honestly, I’m still reeling from the energy of Strictly Come Dancing! It’s so hard to see a wonderful contestant leave, it genuinely feels like losing a friend. But, wow, what an incredible journey she had! Her accomplishments on the show were truly exceptional, and I’m sending her all my best.

The BBC’s most popular entertainment show, and arguably its greatest of all time, is led by two women, a remarkable achievement considering it’s been on television for 21 years.

Have a wonderful weekend, Tess! You’ve earned all the joy that’s coming your way – the celebrations, happy tears, and heartfelt congratulations. Twenty-one years in the entertainment industry is a remarkable achievement, and you truly deserve all the recognition.

Congratulations! We’re all sending our love. She’s busy rehearsing right now, but someone will be sure to let her know what we said.

I’m so excited for the Strictly Come Dancing final on Saturday! If you’re watching, keep an eye out for me – I’ll probably be making silly faces in the background as always.

I’m going to try not to cry, but I don’t think I’ll succeed – not at all. It’s incredible to think it’s been in our family for 21 years.

This happened after Tess and Claudia were moved by a heartfelt tribute on Sunday’s show.

The show’s two hosts said in October they would be leaving after the current season, marking their final time presenting the BBC program together.

To celebrate their journey on the dance competition, the judges showed the couple a heartfelt video featuring highlights from their performances.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke met with Claudia backstage to discuss the upcoming results after the public had voted.

Then, Craig announced the judges asked Tess to come forward so they could share how much they’d miss her and express their affection.

He jokingly added, “I want to thank Clauds for the amazing dresses and shoes, and Tess, thanks for all the fun pizza parties in your dressing room!”

Tess and Claudia were deeply moved when they were shown a video montage of their time on the show, featuring messages from the judges.

Shirley said they were an amazing pair. They taught her everything she needed to know, supported her, and she’ll miss them very much.

Anton and Craig playfully teased the pair about their lack of dancing skills, with Anton quipping that after all this time, neither of them had learned even a single dance step.

While Craig chimed in: ‘I know one thing, without a doubt, they will keep dancing… badly.’

The video also included footage of the iconic Strictly Come Dancing host, Bruce Forsyth, from when he first appeared with Tess Daly back in 2004, alongside clips of the two friends sharing jokes.

As they watched the video, Tess and Claudia became very emotional. Claudia exclaimed, ‘We love you so much, and we feel incredibly lucky! It’s been a real privilege to know you!’

Tess shared, ‘You all feel like family to us, and we’ve always felt that way. We’ve had such a wonderful time together.’

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2025-12-19 18:06